How is a gas network company helping with the stressors of rising prices?

SGN has partnered with numerous organisations to help combat ill-mental health as a result of the cost of living crisis.

Mental money crash

Studies have shown that 46% of people in debt also have a mental health problem in the UK. What’s more, 4 in 10 people said that their financial situations worsened their mental health problems. With the current cost of living crisis in the UK there is an increasing prevalence of depressive symptoms among adults as people struggle with low wages and increasing prices. Given that money is central to our lifestyles, survival, and sense of self, financial troubles are a leading cause of ill mental health.

Caring for customers

SGN have partnered with Mental Health UK to reach vulnerable customers in Scotland whose mental health is being affected by rising energy costs. The pilot programme will initially run for 6 months, and aims to tailor support to each customer to enable improved mental health and keep them safe and warm in their homes, following referrals from SGN engineers. This project provides resource for MHUKs Mental Health & Money Advice Service, which offers expert advice on how to manage mental health and money, free financial tools and calculators and sample letters and templates to help customers communicate with other services amongst other things.

Counselling for clarity

Counselling and advice has been proven to help people take a deeper and more objective look at earning and spending habits. These sessions can then help people to make better financial choices in the future and take positive steps towards trying to improve financial situations. Being able to talk about worries and gain expert advice tailored to individual situations can help to improve mental health and make terrible situations a little more manageable.

This story shows how SGN supports Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being, specifically Target 3.4 “By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well being.”

About the company

SGN works to look after the gas pipe networks across the south of England and Scotland. By partnering with other organisations, their goal is to help those in vulnerable situations by offering them new opportunities and supporting customers in difficult times.

Find out more about SGN.